Public meetings scheduled for Scotty’s Castle recovery

Friday

Apr 21, 2017 at 12:01 AM

DEATH VALLEY, CA – Death Valley National Park is seeking public input into its plans to repair flood damage at Scotty’s Castle. Public meetings are scheduled in the coming weeks in Beatty, Pahrump, and Death Valley.

Scotty’s Castle was extensively damaged by a flash flood on October 18, 2015. About three inches of rain in five hours caused catastrophic flooding that damaged or destroyed historic buildings and other features, roads, walkways, and utilities in the historic district.

Scotty’s Castle is closed except for a limited number of public tours focusing on the flood and recovery efforts. Death Valley Natural History Association (DVNHA) will announce the fall tour dates later this summer.

Death Valley NP officials will host public meetings to provide information about flood recovery efforts so far and proposed actions. The public is encouraged to attend to learn more and to share their opinions.

— Monday, April 24 at 5:00 pm

Beatty Community Center

— Monday, May 1 at 5:00 pm

Bob Ruud Community Center, Pahrump

—Thursday, May 4 at 5:00

Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Death Valley

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to rehabilitate various historic and non-historic features in the Death Valley Scotty Historic District (Scotty’s Castle). The proposed project would include the following components:

Scotty’s Castle (Main House and Annex)

— Repair heating/cooling system

— Construct a cooling tower

— Repair water damage

— Repair flagpole tower

— Repair courtyard pedestrian bridge

— Waterproof 2nd story porch floor

— Repair observation tower

Visitor Center (historic Garage and Longshed)

— Repair buildings

— Enlarge breezeway between Garage and Longshed

— Seismic retrofit of Visitor Center

— Install fire protection system

— Install interpretive exhibits

Gas House

— Remove non-historic addition

— Build shade structure

— Modify fire suppression system

Hacienda

— Repair building

Fire Cache

— Stabilize and mothball building

Landscape

— Reconstruct and construct additional flood protection structures

— Restore wishing well

— Remove ticket office

— Implement palm tree management

— Repair concrete and stone watercourse

— Replace “chicken yard” fence

— Repair historic district boundary fence

— Restore other flood-damaged features

— Construct up to two trailer pads for administrative use

— Construct additional public restroom

— Remodel parking lot

— Construct accessible parking spaces and walkways

— Repair walkways and pedestrian plaza

Utilities

— Repair waste water system, including replacing septic tank and leach field

— Repair water system

— Install test well near spring house

— Replace electrical system

— Retrofit telecommunications, security, and fire monitoring systems

A no action alternative is also under consideration.

The public is invited to provide input on the proposed project. Comments received by May 18, 2017 will be used to help define the issues and concerns to be addressed in the Environmental Assessment (EA) and to analyze alternatives. The public can comment at a scheduled meeting, online at

parkplanning.nps.gov/deva, or by mail to:

Death Valley National Park

ATTN: Scotty’s Castle Flood Rehabilitation

P.O. Box 579

Death Valley, CA 92328

Commenters should be aware that their entire comment – including personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While commenters can ask that their personal identifying information be withheld from public review, the NPS cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

An environmental assessment (EA) will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision-making framework that analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, evaluates issues and impacts on park resources and values, and identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts. Compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) is being completed concurrently with the NEPA process.

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